Fire-escape



No. 752,279. l PATENTED Fa; 16, 1904.

A. S. BACON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

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No. 752,279. PATENTEE EEE. 16, 1904. A; s. BACON. PIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.l N0 MODEL.

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PATENT OFFICE:

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,279, dated February 16, 1904.

Application filed July 18, 1903. Serial No. 166,154. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may oon/cern:

Be it known that LARTTTUR STANLEY BACON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gon- Zales, in the county of Gonzales and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved {ire-escape which is simple in construction and operation and which may be attached to an ordinary window-frame whenever necessary and by means of which a person or persons may be able to escape from the window of a burning building without danger of falling or being otherwise injured.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specilication, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a part of the wall of a building and showing a window with my improved fire-escape attached to the frame thereof; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of a part of the lire-escape apparatus and showing the operative mechanism thereof; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a section on the line 4 et of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 a side view of one of the hooks by which the fire-escape apparatus is connected with and suspended from the window-frame.

In the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown at a a part of ka wall of a building, and at b a window-frame, with the sides of which in practice my improved lireescape apparatus is connected.

In the practice of my invention I provide an oblong cylindrical casing c, which is preferably provided with end iianges or rims c2, as shown in Fig. 2, to which the end plates c3 are bolted or otherwise secured, as shown at c4, and connected with the ends of the casing c are ring or eye suspending devices c5, through which are passed suspending-cords c6, which are connected with hooks c7, which are adapted to engage the sides of a window-frame Z), as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and a supplemental ring or eye suspending device cs is also preferably connected with the casing o centrally thereof and through which a supplemental cord c is passed, which is also connected with the hook c7, as clearly shown, or a single cord may be employed, which is passed through the ring or eye suspending devices c5 and C8 and through eyes in the hooks o7 in the manner of pulleys, and by means of this construction the cylindrical casing o may be suspended centrally of and in front of the window and in a horizontal position, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Within the casing c and at one end thereof is a reel (Z, on which is wound a strong cord or rope e, and the reel d consists of a central shaft Z2 and end disks or plates Z3 and di. In the form of construction shown the end disks or plates d3 and d* are formed integrally with the shaft d2,- but said disks or plates may be formed independently of said shaft and' be secured thereto., if desired. One end, di, of the shaft cl2 passes clear through the casing c and is screw-threaded and provided with nuts da,

and the other end of said shaft also passes through the corresponding end ofthe casing o and is provided with a small gear-wheel olf", and a larger gear-wheel dl is mountedon the end of the casing o adjacent to the gear-wheel d6 and operates in connection therewith and is provided with a crank als, by which the reel 0l may be wound up or the cord a wound thereon. y

The casing c is provided with a slot e2, through which the cord or rope e passes, and connected with said cord or rope is a tubular casing e3, through the lower end of which is loosely passed a rod ci, with which in practice is connected a basket or similar device c5, this connection being preferably made by means of a spring-hook e and straps, cords, or similar devices connected with said hook and with the basket e5.

The casing c is provided adjacent to the inner end of the reel al' with a transverse partition f, which is vertically arranged when' the said casing is in operative position, and mounted on the shaft Z2 or the extension d* thereof adjacent to the .partition f and movable longitudinally on said shaft is a hub g, having a flange or rim g2, and said hub is also Ipo provided in the inner walls thereof with an annular groove or space g3. The shaft 072 or the extension d* thereof is provided with a longitudinal groove g2, and movable longitudinally in the groove g4 is a rod g5, which extends outwardly through the end of the casing c opposite the reel d, and is provided with a kiob or head g, by which it may be4 operate Secured to the inner side of the end wall c3 of the casing c opposite the reel d is an annular-keeper 7L, and mounted on the corresponding end of the extension d* of the shaft d2 is a collar or hub 7b2, provided with a flange or rim 7b2, which is adapted to turn in the keeper 7L, and the collar 7a2 is provided in the inner wall thereof with a recess 7b4, adapted to receive a key 7t5 on the rod g5, and said rod g5 is also provided at its inner end with a key 7&6 which operates in the groove g3 and is also adapted to lock the hub g to the shaft LZ2, and between the hub g and the collar 71.2 is placed aspiral spring 7&7. f

Pivoted to the collar 7b2 at 7b2 are brake-arms z', to which are pivoted links 2, which are also pivoted to the hub g, as shown at 3, and the arms i are provided with balls ft2, and these parts operate in the manner of an ordinary centrifugal governor to control the operation of the apparatus, as hereinafter described.

Secured to the partition-plate f radially of the shaft d2 are keepers j, to which are pivoted brake-arms j2,'which are also arranged radially of the partition f and the outer ends of which are provided with brake-shoes f2, which operate through openings]4 in the partition-plate f and which bear on the end disk or plate d2 of the reel cl, and the inner ends of the arms .72 pass through guides or supplemental keepers j and are provided with heads j, which operate in connection with the flange or rim g2 of the hub g.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof. The device may be wound up, as shown in Figs. l and 2, if the shaft g2 is not turned too rapidly with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2; but ordinarily in winding the cord e on the reel d the shaft g5 is pushed inwardly against the operation of the spring k7, so as to release the keys 7# and 71, from the collar 71.2 and the hub g, and it will be understood that the spring 7J willautomatically serve to return the rod g5 to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the collar 7b2 and hub g will be locked to the shaft Z2 or the extension Z2 thereof.

The tubular casing e2 by which the basket e5 is suspended is provided at its upper end With a removable screw-threaded cap k and the rod e4 passes upwardly into said casing and the upper end thereof is provided with a disk or head 71:2, and in the lower end of the casing e2 is placed a spiral spring 703, through which the rod e4 passes, and said basket is thus yieldingly supported. My invention, however, is not limited to any particular means for connecting the basket with the cord e, and any preferred form of carrier may be substituted for the basket e3, and its connection with the cord e may be made in any desired manner.

A party desiring to escape from the building enters the basket e5 through the lower part of the window, the lower sash being raised for this purpose, and the descent immediately begins. In this operation the governor, consisting of the parts i, 2, and 2, and the brake arms or levers f2 operate to retard the unwinding of the reel a7, and the descent is made gradually and safely. After one party has thus escaped from the window the apparatus may be wound up, as hereinbefore described, and another party may similarly descend. It will be observed that the partition f divides the interior of the casing c into two separate compartments, one of which is occupied by the reel c7, the shaft of which extends through the other compartments, in which the brake mechanism is also mounted, and the entire apparatus or device is simple in construction and operation and also comparatively inexpensive, and changes in and modifications of the construction herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lire-escape apparatus, a cylindrical casing divided by a transverse partition into separate compartments, a reel mounted in one of said compartments and the shaft of which extends through the other compartment, brake-levers connected with said partition and provided-With shoes which operate through openings formed in said partition and adapted to bear on the end of the reel, and centrifugal brake devices mounted on the said shaft and adapted to operate said brake levers, and means for locking said brake devices to said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a lire-escape apparatus, a cylindrical casing divided by a transverse partition into separate compartments, a reel mounted in one of said compartments and the shaft of which extends through the other compartment, brake-levers connected with said partition and provided with shoes which operate through openings formed in said partition and adapted to bear on the end of the reel, and centrifugal brake devices mounted on the said shaft and adapted to operate said brake levers, and means for locking said brake devices to said shaft, said casing being also provided in one side with a slot or opening and said reel with a cord which passes therethrough, substantially as shown and described.

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3. In a tire-escape apparatus, a'cylindrical casing, cords connected therewith and adapted to support said casing in a horizontal position, hooks Connected With said cords and adapted to engage the sides of a Window-frame, said casing being also provided with a transverse partition forming two separate oompartments, a reel mounted in one of said compartments and the shaft of which passes through the other compartment and through both ends of said easing, a cord Wound on said reel and passing through a slot in said casing, brake-levers secured tothe side ofY said partition opposite the reel and provided with shoes Which operate through said partition and in connection with said reel, and centrifugal brake devices mounted on said shaft and adapted to operate said levers, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a tire-escape apparatus, a cylindrical casing, cords connected therewith and adapted to support said casing in a horizontal position, hooks connected With said cords and adapted to engage the sides of the Windowsaid reel and passing through aslotin said casing, brake-levers secured to the side of with shoes which operateV through said partition and in connection With said reel, centrifugal brake devices mounted on said shaft and adapted to operate said levers, andmeans for locking said brake devices to said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 13th day of July, 1903.

ARTHUR STANLEY BACON.

Witnesses:

Y. W. HOLMES, Guo. HOLMES.

said partition opposite the reel and provided 

